Eisai Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Tokyo, President: Haruo Naito) announced that its U.S. subsidiary, Eisai Medical Research Inc. (Headquarters: New Jersey, President: Mindell Seidlin), has received approvals from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on October 18 for
ARICEPT 
(donepezil hydrochloride) for an orally disintegrating tablet and a liquid formulation.
The new forms of
ARICEPT are designed to make administration easier for Alzheimer's disease patients who have difficulty swallowing tablets. In Europe, Eisai submitted marketing applications for orally disintegrating tablets in December 2003, and liquid in May 2004. The company has already started marketing the orally disintegrating tablet of
ARICEPT in Japan from July 2004.
ARICEPT , an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor developed by Eisai Co., Ltd. in Japan, increases the concentration of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter in the brain.
ARICEPT is currently indicated for the treatment of mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease and is marketed in 76 countries worldwide. Eisai markets
ARICEPT through copromotion with Pfizer in Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Spain, and markets solely in Asian countries.
Contacts:
Eisai Co., Ltd.
Corporate Communications Department
Phone 03-3817-5120 (Tokyo)
